Couldn't quite believe my eyes because it wasn't a water vole!

Wednesday 15th December

 That cat, I swear it was using the cabin top as a playground! Silly hour of the night when the noise started, bumps and thumps heard from one side to another. That was it! Could stand it no longer, got up, grabbed the camera, the flash would scare it away! Rushed to the front, as I opened the cratch, it made a bolt for it. I lay in wait and sure enough back it sauntered along the towpath.

Checked for signs of paintwork damage. I found where it had jumped on, paw prints on the gunwale,  the window and also a scratch. Not 100% sure if this was from the cat but I’m not ruling it out either especially as several years ago we had the same problem of a cat jumping up and leaving 4 deep gouges out of the paintwork.

Getting ready to set off I noticed the cat on the cratch board of that other boat. Hang on...is that a second moggy walking along the gunwale?

It's the claws that do all the damage. I wonder how their boat paintwork is!

And lying between FS and the bank, possibly a mouse or small vole. Very dead but was this why that cat was sounding like a herd of elephants on the cabin top? It’s prey getting away only to be drowned in the canal?

Ian was once again at the helm 'cos my quest on seeing a water vole was still ongoing. My position was  in the well deck, the best and only place to be able to see one up close. Suddenly seen in the margins, water movement..OMG...massive excitement, heart thumping and it was a good job my camera has anti shake capabilities 'cos in my eagerness I couldn't keep it still.  But the picture wasn't clear, it looked like a vole and yet..... and then just a glimpse of something on the bank.

Well I never, not a water vole but a stoat!

 Then my vigil paid off and one very happy lady as between bridge 11 and 10, this swam across the canal.

And then blow me down if another didn't swim across in that narrow cutting section and where I was convinced none would be found. Houses overlook the canal and gardens go right down to the water's edge. Not much cover for them there.

Narrow section was coming up.

 

Before the channel gets really narrow, a large tree stump sticks out on the offside. A real hazard in my opinion, and may catch out the unaware. Imagine the scene. Two boats having to pass, one going too far to the right, and well..straight onto that stump!  Deep scrap marks and coloured paint show testament to that scenario.

The end was in sight. Back to the junction and left onto the Coventry.

Bridge 1 in the distance and the end (or beginning) of the Ashby canal.

Looking back

 Not far from the junction and the famous Charity Dock comes into view. I say famous because it has been shown on Quest with Salvage Hunter, Drew Pritchard trying to buy from the owner. How anyone can find anything useful amongst the jumble must be a real challenge. Every time we go past more stuff appeared to have been added! You wouldn't believe it but it's still a working boatyard!

Hawkesbury Junction was as far as we got today. FS was badly in need of a wash, may as well do the port side while we can because once we do the turn onto North Oxford the towpath will be starboard side. We did water up first and Ian did take a walk to the facilities to see what the problem was. He came back fuming. For the want of a valve to fill the cistern. the elsan has been closed for three weeks! In fact, he said the tap to swill out a cassette still works (he turned on the stop cock just to see) just not the flush. To him this was totally unacceptable! A rude email has already been sent to CRT!

  And wildlife,